Copse
[kops]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Old English, late 16th century
1.
A small group of trees.
Examples of Copse in a sentence
"The hikers took shelter near a convenient copse."
"The center of the plaza featured a copse draped in twinkling lights."
About Copse
The Latin word "colpus," or "a blow," transitioned into the Old English word "coppice," which described the act of cutting back shrubbery to encourage new growth. This growth often ended up taking over the area, and over time, the word shortened into "copse" to denote the group of trees that resulted.
Did you Know?
While a copse can be created by growing seedlings in a close group, those found in the wild often sprout from the stumps of cut or felled trees. Often, several new sprouts emerge from the same stump, which creates a tightly packed copse.
